“The image [that Russia supports a candidate in the US presidential election] was created by the media,” Putin said at the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi on Thursday, adding that it was done deliberately and on purpose.

“This idea was planted into the US public consciousness… with only one goal… to protect the interests of the Democratic candidate in her competition with the candidate of the Republicans, in this case – with Mr. Trump,” the Russian president stressed.

The US media “first portrayed Russia as an enemy and then said that Trump is our [Russia’s] favorite,” Putin said, denouncing these tactics as “absolute nonsense.”

“This is complete and utter rubbish, and it is just a method of internal political struggle, as well as a way of manipulating the public consciousness ahead of the US presidential elections,” he added.